Orthopedic knee support



l. SPIRO ORTHOPEDIC KNEE SUPPORT Filed Feb. 14, 196'? f. .I ...I

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IRVING SPIR@ United States Patent O 3,473,527 ORTHOPEDIC KNEE SUPPORT Irving Spiro, Miami Beach, Fla., assigner of one-half to Stephen A. Michelson, Miami Beach, Fla. Filed Feb. 14, 1967, Ser. No. 615,991 Int. Cl. A61f 5/01, 13/10 ILS. Cl. 128--80 3 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates in general to orthopedic appliances and more particularly to a support appliance for the human knee joint.

Prior supports of this general character required the forming of a cast which is undesirable from an application and removable and hygenic standpoint and the use of a multiple bandaging with or without splints, which are laborious to apply and often ineffective.

Other supports of this general character were adjustable to different size limbs through the use of multiple straps retained by buckles and are often ill fitting as well as uncomfortable to the wearer.

The present support overcomes the above objections and disadvantages by the provision of a flexible member of substantially uniform thickness adapted to be retained to the shape of the leg above and below the knee by fibrous entanglement fasteners and including the use of ribs secured in the rear side of the support to provide predetermined stiffness for partial or complete immobilization of the knee joint.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a exible member of uniform thickness adapted to be wrapped around the leg above and below the knee joint with an opening therein for the projection of the kneecap, which will permit the snug fitting of the support around the leg above and below the knee joint.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention are described and shown in the following specification and drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates the support secured to the human leg above and below the knee joint.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the support shown in FIG. l.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional side elevation taken through section line 3 3, FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a planar elevation of the support shown in FIG. l with a portion thereof broken away, before being conformed to a leg.

FIG. 1 illustrates the support assembly secured around a human leg above and below the knee joint, which assembly is shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, and comprises a body member 1 of sheet material having a planar outline substantially forming an isosceles trapezoid with a pair of parallel edges and a pair of non-parallel edges, and is preferably made from felt of uniform thickness of approximately one quarter inch, having predetermined exibility and elasticity.

It is apparent that other materials, such as multiple ICC fabrics, plastic foams and laminates thereof, are also suitable as a material for the body member.

Referring to the gures, a segment cut from each opposite non-uniform edge of the member 1 forms arcuate edges 2 providing an opening 3 over the kneecap when the support is secured in place, as shown in FIGS. l and 2.

The support is vertically stitfened or rigidized by a plurality of like metal ribs 4, which are retained in vertical spaced relation along the rear side of the support by a fabric cover 5, which is sewed to the body by vertical stitches 6 and transverse stitches 7. These ribs are formed in predetermined linear arcuate shape to conform with the desired shape of the rear of the human leg above and below the knee joint, as shown in IFIG. 3. It is apparent that one or more ribs of plastic or other substantially rigid material may be used as a rigidizing means.

The inner side of the body member is retained in snug conformation around the leg by means of brous entanglement fasteners, such as the Velcro type, in which a pair of multiple loop pads 8-8 are secured to one marginal side surface of the body by sewing means, as shown in FIG. 4, and two pair of fabric straps 9 are sewed to the opposite marginal outer side of the body, as shown, with the inside surface of each strip covered with entanglement fibrous material 10.

In operation a given size body member is positioned snugly around the leg, as illustrated in FIG. 1, and the straps 9 pressed against the pads `8 whereby the fibrous material 10 will entangle with the loop pads 8 and securely hold the support in place, as shown in FIG. 1. It is characteristic of the entanglement fasteners that each strap 9 may be readily removed by a pulling with the lingers.

It is important to note that within limited ranges the engagement of the straps 9 within pads 8 may be made within limits of exceedingly small increments of adjustents, thus assuring adjustment of snug conformation of the support around the leg.

It is also apparent that other types of fastener means, such as the adhesive type, may be used.

It is understood that certain modifications in the construction, utilizing the features described, are intended to come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. An orthopedic appliance for the human leg for supporting the knee joint comprising a body member of sheet material of predetermined thickness and having predetermined exibility and resilience,

said body member having a planar outline substantially in the shape of an isosceles trapezoid which has a pair of parallel edges and a pair of non-parallel edges and including a like recess in like position in each of said non-parallel edges thereof,

an elongated rigidizing means secured along a central portion of the outer surface of said member between and normal to the said parallel edges thereof,

said rigidizing means longitudinally curved for forming the said central portion of said member to substantially conform to the shape of the rear side of said leg above and below said joint,

a fastening means for adjustably and detachably securing the said non-parallel edges in juxta-relation when said member is positioned around said leg,

a first portion of said fastening means secured along a marginal outside surface of said member along one of said non-parallel edges and a second portion of said fastening means secured along a marginal outside surface of said member along the opposite one of said .non-parallel edges whereby said member may be snugly secured around the said leg and retained thereon with said non-parallel edges in said juxta-relation by the engagement of said fastening means and with the kneecap of said joint in the opening formed by each adjacent said recess.

2. An orthopedic appliance for the human leg for supporting the knee joint comprising a body member of sheet material of predetermined thickness and having predetermined exibility and resilience,

said body member having a planar outline substantially in the shape of an isosceles trapezoid which has a pairv of parallel edges and a pair of non-parallel edges and including a like arcuate recess in like position in each of said non-parallel edges thereof,

-at least one rib means made of substantially rigid material secured along a central portion of the outer surface of said member between and normal to the said parallel edges thereof,

said rib means longitudinally curved for forming the said central portion of said member to substantially conform to the shape of the rear side of said leg above and below said joint,

a fastening means of the entanglement type having a receiving element and a mating engaging element adapted for adjustable linear and parallel engagement of said elements within predetermined distances,

said receiving element secured along a marginal outside surface of said member along one of said non-parallel edges and said engaging element secured along a marginal outside surface of said member along the opposite one of said non-parallel edges whereby said member may be snugly secured around the said leg and retained with said non-parallel edges in juxtarelation by the engagement of said fastening means and with the kneecap of said joint in the opening formed by each adjacent said arcuate recess.

3. An orthopedic appliance for the human leg for supporting the knee joint comprising a body member of brous sheet material of predetermined thickness and having predetermined exibility and resilience,

said body member having a planar outline substantially in the shape of an isosceles trapezoid which has a pair of parallel edges and a pair of non-parallel edges and including a like arcuate recess in like position in each of said non-parallel edges thereof,

a plurality of spaced ribs f substantially rigid material secured along a central portion of the outer surface of said member by a fabric member sewed thereover on the outer side of said member with said ribs normal to said parallel edges of said member,

said ribs longitudinally curved for forming the central portion of said member to substantially conform to the rear side of said leg above and below said joint,

a fastening means having a flexible planar receiving element having a plurality of close spaced like loops extending from the outer surface thereof,

a liexible mating engaging element coated with a plurality of open end entanglement fibers with said fibers adapted for adjustable linear and parallel engagement with said loops for adjusting the fastening means through predetermined distances by the engagement of said entanglement fibers with a plurality of said loops,

said receiving element secured along a marginal outside surface of said member along one of said non-parallel edges and said engaging element secured along a marginal outside surface of said member along the opposite one of said non-parallel edges whereby said member may be snugly secured around the said leg and retained with said non-parallel edges in juxtarelation bythe engagement of said fastening means and with the kneecap of said joint in the opening formed by each adjacent said arcuate recess.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 802,623 10/1905 Camp 128--87 X 3,084,685 4/1963 Lewis 12S- 8O 3,209,517 10/1965 Hyman 54-82 3,232,289 2/1966 Zimmerman 128-87 FOREIGN PATENTS 212,179 3/1924 Great Britain.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner JOHN D. YASKO, Assistant Examiner U.S. C1. XR. 128-165 

